Wire-tightening machine



v May-15,1928. 1,669,817

J. A. GILAMAN WIRE TIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18,

J. A. GILMAN WIRE TIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwve'ntoz J31. @z'Zm an.

May 15, 1928.

J. A. GI LMAN WIRE TIGHTENING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 18, 1925 gnw'ntoz CIA. Gilmam Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN A. GILMAN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

WIRE-TIGHTENING MACHINE.

Application filed August 18, 1925. Serial 1\To. 51,017.

This invention relates to means for twisting and tightening wires and is intended more particularly for use in tightening the retaining wires employed on forms for con crete walls and buildings. The common practice in erecting concrete walls or other structures at present is to build two forms between which the concrete is poured to'constitute the wall. These terms each consists of studding and boards or other sheet members secured to the inner opposed faces of the studding by nails or other fasteners and tie wires are inserted througl'r the sheet members of the forms around the studding and tightened so that the forms will successfully resist the lateral pressure imposed thereon by the concrete tampcd between them. Theretaining wires are bent into U shape and their side portions are disposed against the sides of the studding and through the boards or other sheet members, the bights of the wires extending across the inner studding and the ends being subse-.

quently twisted about each other through the use of hand pliers so as to be drawn together and connected against the outer face of the outer studding and approximately in the center thereof. This operation often fails to remove all slack or looseness in the side portions of the retaining wires between the sheet members of the forms, and this slack is subsequently removed by twisting the intermediate portions of the side wires. This process is slow and laborious and, therefore, costly and is also unsatisfactory for the reason that the twisting of the intermediate portions of the retaining wires frequently produces crystallization therein so that the wires are wcalwned and often break under the strain imposed thereon. Briefly stated then, the object of my invention is to provide means whereby the ends of the wires may be firmly and securely twisted about each other so that all slack in the intermediate portions of the wires will be re moved without any weakening of the wires. The invention also has for its object the provision of a tool for the stated purpose which may be very easily engaged with the wires and will operate in a simple and el'licient manner to remove the slack therefrom. Incidental objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved tool showing the same in working position; Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section;

, Fig. 3 is a view, partlyin plan and partly in horizontal section;

Fig. i an end elevation;

Fig. 5 is a detail end elevation showing a form of the invention differing in some de tails from that illustrated in Figs. 1 to l;

Fig. 6 is a partial plan view ol the form of the invention shown in Fig. '5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing a simplified form of the invention; i I Fig. 8 is a view, partly in plan and partly an horizontal section, ot-the t'orin. illustrated in Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the form shown in Fig. 7. l d

Referring more particularly to the drawhugs the reference numeral 1 indicates the studoing 0:]? a concrete form and 2 indicates the boards or sheet members of the form, while 3 indicates the retaii'iing wires placed about the studding and inserted through the form members 2 in the usual manner.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a body member consisting of a lever 41: of suitable dimensions provided at one end with a knob 5 and a. somewhat thickened or enlarged grip member 6. At its opposite end the lever or body is formed into a foot 7 which is somewhat widened, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, and is constructed at its edge'with teeth 8 whereby it may be caused to firmly engage the outer studdingr Intermediate the ends of this lever or bot a short post orstandard Qrises tlnu'e'lioui and terminates at its upper end in a i-Iylinder 10. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3. this'cylinder is provided adjacent its rear end with an internal annulaand'in one side is constructed with an internally threaded socket or opening 12 adapted to receive the threaded GIHlOili a spindle 13 projecting laterally therefrom. Rotatably fitted upon this spindle is a beveled pinion 1% which is formed integral with or rigidly secured to the hub 15 ot a crank 16 equipped with a handle 17 of any preferred form at its outer end. i

Rotatably fitted within the cylinder 10 is the spindle member 18 of a bracket or twister head 19, the rear end of the head presenting an annular shoulderQO whichabuts the front shoulder l l IOU ill

end of the cylinder 10 and the spindle 18 presenting an annular shoulder 21 which abuts the internal shoulder 11 of the cylinder, as shown clearly in Fig. The rear end of the spindle 18 is reduced, as shown at and extends through the rear end of the cylinder, the said reduced end of the spindle being externally provided with a left-hand d thread to be engaged by the threaded hub 23 of a beveled gear 2t. lVhen the parts are properly assembled, the gear Zlabuts and partly overhangs the rear end of the cylinder 10 which. consequently. serves as a thrust bcaiin;- for the gear while the body of the cylinder provides an annular bearing for the spindle l8. and the gear 24: meshes with the pinion 1- so that. when the pinion is rotated through Il'ltllllPtlltltiOll of the handle 17 and crank 1t3,theg air will also he rotated-amt rotary motion will be imparted to the twister head or bracket 19. The forward portion of the twister head or bracket 1!) is in the :form of an I-beam placed on its side and a longitudinal slot 253 is formed cei'itrally throu .1 the web it] of tile beam. while at its cxtrenuforward end a cross arm 27 is formed integral with the beam to serve as a carrier for wiregripping member". shown as rollers 28, the said rollers being loosely pivotally or rotatably titted upon spindles 29 which are secured rigidly in the endsof the cross arm in any preferred manner. llv reference to Fig. 2. it

will be noted that the cross arm 27 has a vertical dimension greater than the web 26 of the beam, and this vertical dimension is substantially equal to the vertical dimension of the side flanges of the beam, the upper surface of the cross arm being beveled downwardly and forwardly, as shown at 30. to facilitate the insertion of the ends of the wires between the wire-gri 'iping elements. Slidably mounted upon the upper side of the web 26 between the side flanges of the beam is a fork 31 having a wire-gripping roller 32 rotatably mounted between its branches and having its upper branch provided with forwardly diverging wings which have their extremities turned upwardly, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and l. and overlie the peripheries of the rollers 28 so that, when the wires are in position between the wire-griln'iing rollers, these lips or wings will constitute guards to retain the wires between the roll- I ers and prevent pren'lature or accidental release thereof. It will also be noted that the body of the fork between the wings 33 projects forwardly, as shown at 34, so as to provide an additional guard to prevent release of the wires and also aid in guiding the wires into engagement between the gripping elements. The roller 32 is held between the. upper and lower branches of the fork 31 by a. spindle 35 inserted through the fork and through the roller to constitute an axle for the roller, and also through the slot '25 to depend below the under side of the body or beam 19. A. retaiiling block 36 is titted upon the lower end of the pintle 255 and a. lock nut: 37 may be mounted upon the extremity of the pintle to be turned home against said block and thereby secure the pintle against loss. The block 36 plays between the lower side flanges or webs of the beam and guided thereby so that the said block cooperatcH with the walls of the slot in holding the pintle and the roller to a rectilinear path and thereby avoid bending of the pintle. The stem 38 of the fork 31 is circular in cross section and its rear end enters the bore ill) of the spindle 18. as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The bore 3%) constitutes a spring chamber to house a coiled expansion spring 40 which bears at its rear end against the rear wall of the said chamber and at its front end against the end of the stem 38. The rear end portion :22 of the spindle 18 also has a central bore of less diameter than the chamber 215), and through this bore a rod ll passes to support. the. spring 40 and also form, in eli'ect, an extension of the stem 38. the front end of the said rod 41 being threaded into the rear end of the stem, as shown at 42 in l ig. The rear end portion :2 of the spindle 18 projects beyond the hub :32) of the gear :l-l and in its rear extremity is constructed with diametrically opposite longitudii'ial slots 142 opening through the end of the spindle. The bore of the rear end of the spindle is slightly enlarged within this slotted portion so as: to receive the tubular shank 43 of a knob irf which shank encircles the rear end of the rod 1 and is provided at diametrically opposite points with lugs if) eugageable in the slots 142. The rear end of the rod ll extends through the knob -14 and is equipped with a head 46 or a lock not or equivalent element balring against the outer rear side of the knob whereby the knob and the rod will be held in a fixed longitudinal relaiion.

The l'tu'ward portion of the bracket. or twister head 15) is disposed. in the position illustrated below the luu'izontal plane of the axis of the spindle l8 and the stem 38 while the rear end portion of the head or bracket is enlarged. as shown at 47. whereby to es tablish a tirm extended bearing against the front end of the cylinder 10.

The rollers or wire-gripping elements and 32 may have their peripheries dished or grooved so as to partly encircle the wires engaged by them. but this formation is not essential and the drawings illustrate the said elements as having the peri1'ihe1'al faces of the rollers parallel with their axes. The peripheral surface of the central roller is preferably milled so that a firm engagen'ient thereof with the wires will be attained. and it will be readily noted that the said intermediate roller disposed upon a line loo Ill

ill

- stated that the ends of the wires may be crossed before being engaged between the gripping elements, as shown in Fig. l, or they may be disposed as shown in Fig. 8. To facilitate the insertion of the wires, the knob 4b]: is drawn rear vardly until the lugs clear the ends of the slots 142, whereupon a partial turn is given the knob and the shank L3, bringing the said lugs out of alinementwith the slots and against the outer end surface of the spindle 1S. Inasmuch as the rearward sliding movement of the knob and its shank will obviously be im parted to the rod 41 against the force of the spring ell), the fork 31 will be drawn rearwardly so that the distance between the roller 52 and the respective cooperating rollers 28 will be increased." The ends of the retaining wires 3 may then'obviously be very easily inserted between the gripping rollers and after they have been placed in proper position and drawn as nearly taut as may be easily done by hand, the knob 4.4; is manipulated in a manner reverse to that described so that the spring 40 may ex pand and the parts he returned to the positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawii gs. In this position, the ends of the wires will be engaged by and between the roller 32 and the rollers 28 and if there should be any slack left in the wires, this slack may be removed by pressing downwardl upon the outeremfl oi the main lever or body a while pressing the said lever toward the studding so as to retain its fulcrum thereon. Should one end of the retaining wire be closely gripped between the gripping rollers while the other end thereof retains some slack, the tight engagement of the rollers with one wire will cause the intermediate roller 32 to rotate upon the tightened wire and thereby exert a pull upon the loose wire end which will remove the slack therein. If the slack should be considerable so that one downward oscilla tion of the main lever or body 4 should fail to remove it, the action may be repeated, imparting a more or less pumping action to the lever t until the tension upon the two ends of the retaining wire equalized. \Vhen the tension has been thus equalized, the crank 16 is rotated and this rotation will be imparted to the twister head so that it will be rotated about its longitudinal axis and the cut 5 of the wires thus wrapped about spindle shown in Figs. 1, 2 and each other or twisted so thatv they will be easily and securely fastened and the side portions of the wire within the form will be drawn taut and will be perfectly straight andparalleh The rollers will exert suflicient gripping force upon the ends of the retaining wire to hold the same in proper relation to be effectually wrapped about each other but will yield sutliciently to accommodate the shortening of the wires due to the twisting or wrapping action, and the tightening of the wires can obviously be etfected very rapidly and more eflioiently than was at all possible by the hand manipulation of pliers previously mentioned.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to at and previously described, the rollers 28 are held to the ends of the cross arm 27 by the spindles 29 which are of suliicient diameter to properly support the rollers and have heads large enough to prevent the rollers rising from the arm; In Figs. 5and 6, illustrate a form of the invention which will permit the use of smaller spindles when preferred. In this form of the invention, the slightly upturned lips or terminals of the wings 33 are omitted and the ends of the cross arm 48 at the end of the twister head are extended upwardly, as

shown at 4-9, andthen inwardly, as at 50, to extend across the outer rollers 28, the

till

said upper overhanging portions 50 terminating .in upturned points 51 which partly overhang the central roller 32 and serve as guards to prevent accidental upward release of the wires. Otherwise this form of the invention is identical with that previously described. The extensions of the cross arm impart additional;strength to the ,same and may sometimes be preferred for that reason over the first described form, but the operation and manipulation of the two forms are identical.

In Figs. 7, S and 9, I have shown a simplified embodiment of the invention which cheaper than that first described and will be found satisfactory where a very light tool will do the work. This form oi the invention embodies the same niain lever or body 4: as in the first described form having a cylinder 10 formed integral therewith, and

in the side of said cylinder is secured a spin-- dle 13 corresponding in all respects to the r The twister head or bracket 52 has a rear stem 53 of circular cross section rotatably fitted in the cylinder 10 and carrying abeveled gear 54, corresponding in all respects to the beveled gear 2st, and rotated through a pinion 55 equipped with a crank 56 corresponding to the pinion 14 and thecrank 16. The twister header bracket 52 is constructed with a longitudinal slot 57 in its forward portion to receive the spindle 58 carrying the'central gripping roller 59 but the rearwardly lli;

extending rod 41 and the parts cooperating there-with shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 arev omitted from this simplified embodiment of the invention. The twister head has a terminal cross arm (50 'arrying rollers 61, and, to retain the wires in engagement with the peripheries oil the roilers, washers (32 are disposed between the upper sides of the rollers til and the h aids [$3 of their spindles, the edges of the washers or guard disks projecting over the wires, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Qt? course, obviously a single washer may be titted to the central roller 59 and the washers (3:2 omitted from the rollers ('51 it": preferred. lYhen the wires are to be engaged by this simplitied 't'orin of the invention. the spindle with the roller 59, is pushed rearwardly along the slot 57 by the thumb ot the operator, and after the wires have been properly placed in position the roller is pushed back so as to bind against and hetiween the ends of the wires. \Vhile this device. does not include. any equi 'alent. oi the spring 40 to hold the intermediate roller forward against; the wires, it will operate in the same manner inasmuch as the pnil exerted by the wires as they are. twisted will draw the intermediate roller forward so as to maintain its operative relation to the side rollers and eti'eet the desired elticicnt operation.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. that I have provided an exceedingly etiieient wire-twisting tool which may be easily operated to tighten and twist the ends of the retaining wires in concrete forms so that the wires will he very ell'eetually secured to hold the forms against collapse. and all slack or looseness will be removed from the intermediate portions of the wires so that there will be no crystallizathat ol the wires within the concrete and the necessity for tightening the intermediate portions. of the wires prior to pouring concrete will be overcome. \Vhile the device is intended prinnirily for use in tightening the retaining wires in concrete tot-ins. it is adapted tor use in other tields as in tightening the wires around bales. crates, etc. The. tool may he used upon wires of any diameter. the i'orward movement: oi the intermediate gripper longitudinally of the head or bracket being lin'iitied only by the end of the slot in which its pintle or pivot plays so that when the tool is not in use the intern'iediate gripper may he in contact with the cooperating grippers.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A wire-working tool comprising a main lever constructed to fulcrum upon a fixed support, a bearing on said lover, a twister head rotatably mounted longitudinally of the lever in said bearing and held against endwise movement, and elements carried by said twister head and coupe 'ating to clamp wires disposed between them.

2. A wn-e-working tool comprising a main body. a twister head rotatably mounted upon the body, a pair of wire-engaging rollers mounted on the end of the hea l and spaced transversely thereo'l, and a third wire-engagroller disposed in a plane passing he tween the tirst-n'ientZoned rollers: and adjust able longitialinally ot the twister head toward and from the i'irst-mentioned rollers.

2. A wire-working tool comprising a main supporting body. a twister hea I'oi:vtal)i mounted'upon the l'ofy and portion! rt its tort ard end with a cross arm. wire-gripping elements mounted at the end.-- of said cross arm, and a third wire-gripping element adjustable longitudinally upon the twirt r head in rear of said cross arm and disposed centrally thereol' whereby it may be moved to a position between the tirst-mentioncd gripping elements to bind \t'lt'ts against the same.

4'. A wire-working tool comprising a main supporting body. a hearing on said body, a. twister haid having a rearwardly projecting spindle rotatably titted in said hearing. i'reely rotatable wire-gripping elements carried by the end ol the twister head beyond the hearing. a spindle. lixed in the side of the l-earing. a gear tixed upon the spindle oi" the twister head at the rear end oi said hear ing, a pinion loosely mounted on the lixed spindle and meshing with the said gear, and means for rotating the said pinion.

5. A wire-working tool comprising a main supporting body, a twister head rotatably mounted upon the said body, wire-engaging elements carried by the twister head and disposed in triangular relation, the intermediate gripping element being adjustable tovard and from the outer gripping cleiuenla and means projecting over the spaces be tween the respective elements \vhm-ehy to retain within said spaces the wiresv to he twisted.

(3. A \\'ii'e-working tool comprising a main supporting body, a twister head rotatably mounted upon the body and comprising a main beam. av t'ork slidahle longitudinally upon the beam. a roller carried by said fork. eoope 'ating rollers carried by the trout end of the beam and spaced transversely thereof whereby the tirst-inentioned roller may he *aused. to hold wires against the seeond-ment ioned rollers, means housed within the rear portion of the twister head for yieldahly holding the fork in its t'orward position. and n1 ans cooperating with the 1' ill end of the. twister head to hold the fork in retracted position.

'7. A wire-working tool comprising a main supporting body, a hearing on said body. a twister head comprising a 'l'orwardly proj-ecting beam and a hollow spindle at the rear ill] llo

end of the beam rotatably fitted within the bearing, transversely spaced wire-gripping elements mounted at the front end of the beam, a fork slidably mounted upon the beam and having a stem extending rearwardly and fitting within the hollow spindle, a wire-gripping element carried by said fork, a rod secured to said stem and projecting through the rear end of the spindle, a

spring housed within the spindle around the rod and bearing upon the stem to yieldably hold the fork in its forward position, and means cooperating with the rear end of the rod and the spindle to hold the fork in retracted posit-ion.

8. A wire-working tool comprising a main supporting body, a bearing thereon, a twister head comprising a forwardly projecting beam and a hollow spindle extending rearwardly from the beam and rotatably fitted in said bearing, the rear end of the spindle being reduced and extending rearwardly through and beyond the bearing and provided at its rear extremity with a longitudinal slot, a fork slidably mounted upon the beam and having a rearwardly projecting stem fitting within the bore of the hollow spindle, cooperating wire-gripping elements carried by the fork and by the front end of the beam, a rod secured in said stem and ex;- tending re; rwardly through and beyond the spindle, a spring housed within the bore of the spindle and bearing upon said stem to yieldably hold the fork in projected position, and a knob titted on the rear end of the said rod and having a tubular shank litting within the 1:01 end of the bore of the spindie and provided with a lateral lug to engage the slot in the end of the spindle whereby to permit the "fork to assume its 'l rward position, retraction of the said knob and its shank and partial rotation of the same bringing the said lug into engagement with the rear end of the spindle and holding the fork in retracted position.

9. A wire-working tool comprising a plurality of wire-engaging elements arranged in triangular relation, the wire-engaging portion of one element being movable relative to the coacting element whereby to effect equilibrium of tension in the wire and one of said elements being adjustable toward and from the other elements along a line perpendicular to a line passing through the axes oi said other elements, and means for bodily revolving all said elements.

10. A wire-working tool comprising a pair of rollers, athird roller movable toward and from the pair of rollers and having a milled periphery to clamp tothe first rollers wires passing between them, and means for bodily revolving all the rollers. 11. A wire-working tool comprising a plurality of wire-engaging elements, means for bodily revolving all said elements about an axis passing between two of the elements, and elements spanning the spaces between adjacent portions of the wire-engaging elements to retain the wires in engagement therewith.

12. A wire-working tool comprising wiregripping elements, means for rotating said elements whereby to twist the wires, and means for prelin'iinarily equalizing the tension of the wires.

12 A wire-working tool comprising a pair of spaced wire-gripping elements, and a third wire-gripping element disposed at one side of the spaced elements and movable to a position between said elements, said third element being rotatable, whereby a pull upon one wire end will effect rotation 01 said element to exert a pull upon the other wire end and equalize the tension in the wire.

l l. A wire-working tool gomprising a pairl of wire-engaging-elements, and a third wireengaging element arranged to clamp wire ends to the pair of elei'nents, the third element being freely movable when engaged by wire ends under unequal tension whereby to equalize the tension in the wire ends.

15. A tension and twisting device comprising a fulcrum lever one end of whieh constitutes a handle, a work spindle journaled for rotation in the other end of said lever, a manually operated gear drive for actuating said spindle, a bracket secured to said spindle and adapted to rotate therewith, and a pair of gripping members pivotally mounted on said bracket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN A. GILMAN. LS1 

